


The Ultimate Sacrifice

by kbl55429



Category: The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, M/M, Mundane Illness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-07
Updated: 2018-05-07
Packaged: 2019-05-03 17:10:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14573658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kbl55429/pseuds/kbl55429
Summary: “...you know out of all the ways I pictured myself dying, this definitely wasn’t one of them.”





	The Ultimate Sacrifice

It wasn’t suppose to go like this, they were out walking back from Takis and they were ambushed by a herd of demons. They came out of nowhere, they fought the best they could but the Shadowhunters were out numbered. His sister laid on the ground knocked out, she was still alive thank the angel.

He looked over and saw his parabatai fighting on one leg while the other was bloodied and it look like he couldn’t put any weight on it. He didn’t have time to draw an iratze because they just kept coming. That’s when he saw him Rafael come out of his hiding spot trying to help and a demon was sneaking up on him. He saw his parabatai go to push him out of the way and when he did he would be the one injured perhaps dead and that’s when it all hit him.

_“How long?”_

_“A couple months maybe half a year at the most.” As Catarina delivered the bad news, “we can try to fight it if you want, it’ll be a lot of pain. But it could help.”_

_“So that’s your professional opinion what about your personal one, as a friend?”_

_She sighed, “to be honest, your at stage four, we can do the treatment but it will only bring you more pain and I don’t think it will be effective. So you can choose how you spend these last few months, either in pain or in the arms of your love ones.”_

_He chuckled, “you know out of all the ways I pictured myself dying, this definitely wasn’t one of them.”_

_“I know but some times life has other plans for us, I’m sorry, I wish there was more I could do.”_

_He smiled at his friend, “it’s ok, you’ve already helped enough. Could you do me a favor and keep this between us.”_

_“I will if that’s what you want but you should tell your friends and family. You shouldn’t have to go through this alone.”_

_He smiled, “Thanks Cat. I’ll see ya around.”_

_They hugged and he walked out the door._

He ran over to his parabatai and nephew and pushed them both out of the way as the demon plunged his claw right through his chest. And he fell to the ground, blood gushing out of his mouth. Before the demon could make his way to two of the remaining Shadowhunters a rod went through his chest, it was Izzy who had awoken just in time to see her brother get stabbed.

It was the last demon, Izzy fell to ground next to Jace, Alec laid beside him in pain of his own from his parabatai dying.

“Jace. No come on. Jace.” As Alec drew iratze after iratze but it was too late.

“I-I-Its o-o-ok, I-I’m s-sorry, p-p-please te-tell Clary I-I-I love her.” Those were his last words, Alec passing out was the last thing he saw before his world faded to darkness.

  
——————-

 

He doesn’t know how he got here but the last thing he remembered was his parabatai, his brother dying. He pushed both him and Raf out of the way, that was his job, to protect his son not Jace’s. When he shot out of bed Magnus sat beside him in a chair passed out.

“Mag...” His voice was hoarse, he cleared his throat, “Magnus.”

Magnus eyes opened slowly, he was a little disoriented but then remembered where he was at, “Alexander, oh thank god.”

“Where’s Raf?”

“He’s in the other room with Max and Catarina, do you want me to get both of them?”

“Yes please.”

Magnus nodded his head and kissed Alec on the forehead and left the room coming back with Max and Raf. Little Max ran to his daddy and climbed onto his bed carefully hugging him but Raf was silent, he had his head tuck into the crook of Magnus’ neck.

“Raf.” Alec spoke but he wouldn’t look at him. “Raf.” Again he stayed silent in his Papas arms. “Rafael.” Alec said for a third time and finally he turned and looked at Alec and he gasped, he saw pain in those beautiful brown eyes and tears running down his cheeks.

“Oh Raf, come here.” And Magnus put him in Alec’s arms and he sobbed into his daddy’s neck, all he could say was he was sorry over and over again but Alec didn’t know what the little boy was sorry about.

“For what baby boy, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

He cried some more, “i-i-it’s my f-fault, you-u-u told me-e to-to hide and stay but but-t I didn’t listen and-and now Uncle...” he couldn’t finished as his little body was racked with sobs.

Alec looked over and saw the tears running down Magnus’ cheeks as he held little Max. Alec knew him well enough that it was a reassurance that his family was alive well most of them anyways. Alec looked back at his son and looked him in the eyes, “little monkey, it’s not your fault ok, you did nothing wrong, I want you to know that alright.” He pulled him into a hug so Raf wouldn’t see the tears running down his cheeks, “it’s not your fault.” As he held the tiny Shadowhunter with one hand on his head and the other rubbing circles into his back, “it’s not your fault.”

Magnus pulled up a bed next to Alec and laid down with Max in his arms and grabbed Alec’s free hand with his. It’s where they stayed, eventually Raf calmed down and fell a sleep in Alec’s arms the rest following shortly after. And it’s where they were found by Izzy a couple hours later.

 

——————-

 

A couple days later they had the right of passage for Jace. Alec was there with Raf in one arm and Magnus hand in the other. His leg was still bandaged, they were able to heal most of it but the damage was so bad they said he would probably have a limp for the rest of his life. It also meant he would never hunt again but after everything he’s not sure if he wants to.

Izzy was a wreck, she could barely hold herself together, if it wasn’t for Simon by her side he’s not sure she would have been able to stand. Then there was Clary, Alec couldn’t even look at her, he felt responsible, it should have been him laying on that table. He’s supposed to be the one to protect Raf, it makes him feel like he not capable of protecting the ones he loves most. By his side is Magnus, he’ll assure him that it wasn’t his fault and he won’t believe him but Magnus we’ll continue until he does.

Eventually he’ll heal, they all will, it’ll take time but he knows that with his family by his side he’ll be able to do it. They knew this life would only bring them pain and suffering, it was their job, what they were born to do. It doesn’t make it any easier though, when you lose the ones you care about most. What makes it worse is in the end the only thing you get are three little words, words that don’t mean a damn thing but you say them anyways.

Ave atque vale.

 

  
========

 

 

The past year and a half was hard, about a week after Jaces funeral Clary informed everyone that she was pregnant. She thought that maybe it would help and it did but not to Alexander, it only made the guilt worse.

He tried to assure Alexander that it wasn’t his fault and that there was nothing he could have done. Of course Alec brought up the fact that he was going to be a father to which Magnus had enough and he told Alec that he was a father too. If not Jaces child then Max and Raf would have been fatherless too.

But that only added to the guilt, it made Alec feel like he was neglecting his family. Of course they got past it, but that wasn’t until Catarina showed up and told Alec that Jace was dying. That he only had a couple months to live, that he was in constant pain and didn’t want to suffer anymore. Alec cried while Magnus held him, from there things slowly got better. Though Alec still wouldn’t leave the loft but eventually that stopped also.

They were right about Alec’s leg, he had a limp, some days he was in pain others he wasn’t but Magnus would help on those days he was. Because of this Alec could no longer be an active Shadowhunter but still ran the institute, some days he missed it some days he didn’t. He got to spend more time with his husband and kids which was an added bonus.

Izzy had also had a hard time, she had a really bad head injury which caused her to lose use of her right hand. She was better these days but still had a slight tremor, she could no longer fight so she and Simon moved to Idris where they both teach at the Shadowhunter Academy. They have two kids with another on the way.

Then there was Clary, she had the hardest time, but she pulled through. She’s no longer an active Shadowhunter but works at the Institute with Alec. She had a healthy baby boy that she named Johnathan Christopher Herondale Jr. She wanted him to live on, not just in their memories. She’ll teach the little guy all about his brave father and make sure that he knows every little thing about him.

 

———————-

 

Magnus was walking into the Institute with Max and made his way to Alec’s office and he couldn’t help but smile at his beautiful husband. Max pulled out of his hand and ran and jumped into his lap which startled him. Magnus couldn’t help but bust out laughing, Alec had been so caught up in his work he didn’t even notice them come in.

Alec smiled at the monster in his laugh, “Hello blueberry.”

“Daddy, look what papa taught me today.” Max showed him the flame he conjured in his hand.

Alec smiled but Magnus noticed it was more of a grimace, “that’s wonderful blueberry, hey how about you go find your brother, I need to talk to papa.”

Max smiled brightly, “ok daddy.” He kissed him on the cheek and hopped off his lap and ran to find his big brother.

When he was out of the room Alec looked at Magnus and he knew he was in trouble. “Really Magnus a flame?”

“I know after I did it I realize it probably wasn’t the brightest idea.”

Alec chuckled, “you think.”

“I love you.” Was all Magnus could think to say.

Alec busted out laughing and got out of his seat and limped over and kissed him on the lips, “I love you too.” Before he could say anymore Clary came busting into his office.

“Alec...” when she saw Magnus she stopped talking, knowing she interrupted a moment. She kissed Magnus on the cheek and gave him a hug. “Hey Mags.”

“Hello biscuit.”

“Sorry to interrupt but I need to show you something.” She handed a folded up piece of paper to Alec. “Here look at this.”

Magnus was looking over his shoulder, when he unfolded it, it was a rune. It was one he had never seen, it was beautiful though, it reminded him of Alec and then it hit him. He looked at Clary, “Biscuit, is this what I think it is?”

She smiled nodding her head, Alec was still confused. “What, what is it? I’ve never scene a rune like this, what’s it for?”

Magnus just nodded his head giving her permission to tell him. “Immortality.”

Alec turned to his husband and smiled.

 

 

 

 


End file.
